Healthy Food Choices: Good Fats and Good Carbs

Salmon is high in good fats, while brown rice has good carbs.

Fats and carbohydrates are essential nutrients in your diet, but some types are better for you than others. Good fats help protect your heart, while good carbohydrates keep you feeling satisfied for an extended period of time. Stay in optimal health, keep your heart healthy and improve satiety by consuming foods with good fats and good carbs.

Good Fats

Replace bad fats, like saturated and trans fats, with good fats, which are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Bad fats raise your low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, harden your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Good monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, or MUFAs and PUFAs, improve cholesterol levels and lower your chances of developing heart disease. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats also help insulin work more efficiently, a benefit that stabilizes blood sugar levels if you have type 2 diabetes, explains MayoClinic.com.

Foods with Good Fats

Most monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats come from plant-based foods, although some meats and seafood also have high amounts. Foods high in these good fats often contain both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, but may have higher amounts of one type over the other. Vegetable oil, olive oil, avocados and sunflower seeds are all higher in monounsaturated fats. Peanut oil, sunflower oil, chicken and nuts have more polyunsaturated fats. Fatty cold-water fish, including salmon, mackerel and herring, are high in omega-3 fatty acids, a branch of polyunsaturated fats. Omega-3s are especially beneficial for your heart because they keep your arteries healthy, help maintain a steady heartbeat and can lower blood pressure. Walnuts and flaxseeds also have omega-3 fatty acids, but plant-based omega-3s have a shorter chain structure and may not be as beneficial as long-chain omega-3s from fish.

Good Carbs

Carbohydrates are either simple or complex. Simple carbohydrates often have a bad reputation, since they break down quickly and can spike your blood sugar. Not all simple carbohydrates are bad. Sucrose, which is white table sugar, is generally an unnecessary type of simple carbohydrate in your diet. Foods high in sucrose have few nutrients and are high in calories. Good simple carbohydrates include fructose and lactose. These good simple carbs come from whole foods that provide high amounts of vitamins and minerals. Complex carbohydrates are starches that take a while to metabolize in your digestive tract. Since complex carbs take longer to break down, they slowly raise your blood sugar and keep it at a stable level for an extended period of time. This is especially important if you have diabetes. Fiber is another type of good complex carbohydrate, which you need for normal bowel functioning.

Foods with Good Carbs

Nearly all foods -- with the exception of eggs, meat and some seafood -- provide carbohydrates. Milk and fruit have good simple carbohydrates, in the form of lactose and fructose. Even though milk has good simple carbs, opt for milk that is low-fat or fat-free to avoid consuming too much harmful saturated fat. Vegetables, especially potatoes, corn, yams and peas, are high in good starchy carbohydrates, as well as fiber. All plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes and nuts are high in fiber. In addition to bowel health, fiber keeps you full for an extended period of time. Filling your plate with fibrous vegetables at dinner improves satiety so you are less likely to overeat.

Recommended Amounts

Opt for good fats from lean meats and plant foods as well as good carbohydrates from whole foods, like milk, fruits and vegetables. You need a certain amount of fat to help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, cushion vital organs and aid in hormone production. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in your body, providing fuel for all cells, including brain cells. Both simple and complex carbs, with the exception of calorie-free fiber, offer 4 calories per gram. Fat is a concentrated energy source with 9 calories per gram. Between 45 and 65 percent of your total calories need to come from carbs, while 20 to 35 percent should come from fat, reports the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. For a 2,000-calorie diet, you need 225 to 325 grams of carbohydrates and 44 to 77 grams of fat daily.

About the Author

Melodie Anne Coffman specializes in overall wellness, with particular interests in women's health and personal defense. She holds a master's degree in food science and human nutrition and is a certified instructor through the NRA. Coffman is pursuing her personal trainer certification in 2015.

Photo Credits

salmon meal with rice, brussel sprouts and salad image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com